Rotary &#34;o&#34; ring seal for roll-necks



- contacting f ing the bearings.

' ings and Patented ct. A9, 1951 shin-e1 A. Hastings, chicago, m., signor u Crane Packing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application January 29. 1948, Serial No. 5.122

3 Claims. (Cl. 286-1L14) This invention relates to rotary seals which are adaptedto effect a seal on a radially disposed For purposes of illustration, it will be described as applied to a roll-neck of a rolling mill, but its use is not limited to such apparatus.

It is important on steel mill rolls to prevent the .lubricant in the roll-supporting bearing from the steel being rolled and also to prevent the water used to clean the steel from reach- Roll-necks, from which the are of large size such that ordinary seals used for this purpose are diillcult to obtain-and expensive to make. Since rolls must be dressed frequently, it is necessary to remove the rolls from the chocks or bearing supports, and this means that the seal must be removed likewise. The seals commonly in use are destroyed when they are removed, which increases the maintenance costs of the mill. Special seals have been proposed which are not destroyed when removed, but these seals are explane.

rollsl are supported,

. pensive to make.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a seal for a steel mill roll or the like which seal is removable Without being in any way impaired bythe removal and which is comparable in cost to the seals now in use.

A more specific object of this invention is to simplify the construction of a mechanical seal of the type which uses radially disposed sealing surfaces so that a minimum number of parts is used and the price can accordingly be reduced.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become 'apparent from the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a section through a seal embodying the features of this invention; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the disposition of the springs used in the seal.

Referring now to the drawings for a specic description of the invention,lthere is shown a roll I having a neck portion II extending axially therefrom, said neck being of reduced diameter so as to form with roll I0 a shoulder I2. Said neck II is supported from a chock I 3 by means l"of suitable bearings (not shown) located to the right of the portion of the chock shown in Fig. 1, said chock having an opening I4 therein through which the neck I I extends.

The seal by which water is kept from the bearthe lubricant in the bearings is kept from the rolls, in comprised of a. seat washer I5 resiliently mounted on neck Il through the intermediary of a ring I6 of resilient deformable material such as rubber, either natural or syn.- thetic or a combination of the two, so that said seat washer I5 is sealed with respect to neck II. Ring I6 abuts on shoulder I2 and is located on neck II thereby. Seat washer I5 is formed with a radially disposed surface Il which is suitably "ground and lapped or otherwise finished so as to be perfectly flat and smooth. Ring I6 is initially under compression in a recess -I8 in washer I5 so that washer I5 is constrained to rotate and move with neck II. Because of the flexibility of ring I6, washer I5 can assume a plurality of p0- sitions such that if it is not initially located on ring I6 with surface Il normal to the axis of rotation, it can be made to assume such normal position by exerting suitable axial pressure on surface Il.

The movable portion of the seal is comprised of a sealing washer I9 made' from a material which will have a low coeiiicient of friction when run against the material of washer I5 and will at the same time have long wearing qualities.

`Said sealing Washer I9 is provided with an axially extending bead 20 which in turn is formed with a radially disposed surface 2I abutting on surface Il of washer I5. The surface 2| is ground and lapped so as to be perfectly fiat and smooth and, when running against surface I'I. forms a fluid-tight seal therewith.

Sealing washer I9 is disposed in'a recess 22 formed in chock I3 and is sealed with respect to recess 22 by means-of an endless ring 23 having a circular radial cross-section.I Said rin'g 23 is preferably made from a resilient deformable material such as rubber or, the like, either natural or synthetic or a combination of the two, and is commonly known to the trade as an 0 ring. It is understood, of course, that other endless rings of resilient packing material can likewise be used, but I have found that this type of ring is particularly well adapted for use in seals of this character. Ring 22 is received in a recess '2l formed in the upper right-hand corner (Fig. 1) of sealing washer I9. The diameter of the cylindrical portion of the recess 24 is such with respect to the diameter of recess 22 and the thickness of ring 23 that said ring is initially under compression when the seal is installed and hence a fluid-tight seal is formed between chock I3 and sealing washer I9.

In order to confine O ring 23 in recess 24, a rigid washer 25 is disposed directly adjacent washer I3, said washer 25 having an outside diam- IB eter which is substantially the same as the outthat said ring 23 can roll in the recess to alimited..

extent and therefore 4free itself if it should adhere either to washer I3 or wall 22.

Washer -25 is maintained in its position adjacent washer I3 by a plurality of helical springs 23, one end of each of which is located in a circular recess 21 formed in ring 25. The opposite end of each spring is located in a similar recess 2l formed in a washer 23 abutting on the vertical wall 30 of recessI 22. For ease of manufacture, washer 23 may be identical with washer 23 in every respect. It will be oberved that springs 23 will maintain a constant pressure upon washer 25 which in turn will transmit the pressure to sealing washer Il and thereby hold said sealing washer l! in contact with sealing washer Il. Inasmuch as each of the sealing washers Il and I3 is sealed with respect to its support. it will be apparent that a huid-tight seal is established between chock I3 and roll neck It sometimes occurs that the resistance to rotation developed between surfaces l1 and 2| is sumciently great to overcome the resistance to rotation developed between washer I! and 0 ring 23, or between O ring 23 and recess 22, and hence instead of having a running sliding connection between surfaces I1 and`2l, the sliding occurs between the O ring 23 and one of the members with which it is in contact. 'I'his of course is desirable and to overcome such dimculty, means are provided to prevent washer I9 from rotating relative to chock |3.- This means comprises a plurality of bolts 3| which are threaded at one end 32 and provided with a head 33 at the opposite end. Said bolts pass freely through apertures 3l and 35 in washers 2! and 25 and are threaded into suitably threaded openings 36 in sealing washer |3. 'I'hus bolts 3| are rigidly secured to washers I3 and are movable therewith. If, however, bolts 3| are held against rotation, washer |3 will similarlv be held against rotation as well as washers 25 and 23.

Chock |3 is drilled with blind holes 31 to receive the heads 33 of bolts 3|. Said holes 31 are suillciently deep to permit considerable axial movement of sealing washer I 3 relative to washer 23. It is contemplated however that the depth of' the holes 31 relative to the length of bolts 3| will be such that the heads 33 of the bolts will strike the bottom of blind holes 31 before springs 23 are compressed solidly. 'I'his will protect the springs from damage during installation of the seal on a roll-neck. The number of bolts used depends largely on the diameter of the seal and may vary from two to four. The bolts preferably will be passed through certain of the springs-23 so as to form a support therefor and to eliminate the necessity of an additional indexing operation.

The seal is maintained in an assembled relation, whether or not it is installed in a chock, by means of the bolts 3|. The seals are assembled by first assembling an O ring 23 over a sealing washer I3 and then a ring 25 is placed adjacent washer I3 with the spring-retaining recesses 21 located on the outside of ring Il. Next, the springs are placed in the recesses and the washer 2l is then placed over the springs, care being taken to insure the proper location of springs 2| inthsrecessesinwashern. Caremustalso often as is necessary,

4 betakentomakesurethatopenings 34.3Iand 33 are in line to receive the bolts 3|. The final operation is to insert the bolts 3| into the open- 1118s and tighten them in washer I3. 'I'he free height of springs 23 is such that bolts 3| can be started in washer I9 and when the bolts are tightened. the springs 26 will be somewhat compressed. The entire seal. however, will then be handled as a unit since washer 23 will be held by the heads 33 of the bolts.

The seal may be removed from recess 22 as and under'normal operation, sealing surface 2| should not require any attention for about a year. If, however, either surface 2| of sealing washer I3, or O ring 23 require servicing'or replacement. this can readily be done simply by unscrewing bolts 3|. The remainder of the seal, of course, need not be replaced and can be used indeilnitely.

As further protection against compressing the springs 26 solidly, the recesses 21, 2l in which the springs are retained are made sufficiently deep so that their combined axial dimension is greater than the solid height of the springs. This means that washers 25 and 23 will 'come together before the springs are compressed to their solid height. The deep recesses also insure proper retention of the springs in the recesses when washer 29 abuts on heads 33 of bolts 3|.

It is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of preferred embodiments of this invention and that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereto, but is to be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sealing device for relatively rotatable elements. said device compris g a sealing washer. a. ring spaced axially from the Washer and disposed coaxially with respect thereto, a plurality of axially disposed openings in the ring, resilient means interposed between the washer and ring and tending to separate said washer and ring, a plurality of pins, each secured at one end to the washer and passing through the openings in the ring and each pin having a head larger than the openingto limit the movement of the pin through the opening, means for flexibly sealing the Washer with respect to one of said elements, said one element having recesses into which the heads of the pins project. whereby said washer is adapted to move axially relative to the said one element but is locked against rotation with respect thereto.

2. A sealing device for relatively rotatable elements, said device comprising a Sealing Whel'. a pair of axially spaced rings concentrically disposed with respect to the washer and adjacent thereto, said rings having aligned openings, pins passing through the openings and secured at one end to the washer, said pins being freely movable in the openings, a head on at least one pin at the free end thereof, said head being larger than the opening so as to retain the rings on the pin, resilient means compressed between the rings to urge said rings apart and supply sealing pressure. and ilexible deformable sealing means connecting the washer and one of the said elements to form a fluid-tight seal between the washer and the said one element, said one element having an opening into which the head is slldable to prevent relative rotation between the washer and said one element.

3. A sealing device for relatively rotatable elements, said device comprising a sealing washer 75 having a shoulder thereon, a ring adjacent the 5 washer and forming a groove with the shoulder. a similar ring spaced from the first-mentioned ring, spring means compressed between the rings and tending to separate them, pins passing through the rings, said pins being free to move relative to the spaced ring. said pins being ixed at one end to the washer and having an abutment on the o ther end contacted by the said similar ring to retain the rings on the pins. sealing means in the groove formed by the shoulder and ring and eiectve to form a duid-tight joint with one of said rotatable elements, said one o! said rotatable elements having recesses to receive the said other ends of the pins, whereby to form an axially slidable. rotary driving connection with at least one of the pins. and thus to prevent lrelative rotation between the sealing washer andsaid one element.

- BHIRREL A. HABTINGS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,066,711 Cook July 8, 1913 1,859,436 Durdin May 24, 1932 2,405,464 Storer Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 348,374 Great Britain of 1931 409,778

Great Britain of 1934 

